Ars Technica Does Coverage of 2008 Computer Reliability Report

Apple Tops Reliability Report for Second Consecutive Year

ARS Technica
By Chris Foresman
December 18, 2008:


Rescuecom names Apple most reliable for second year in a row

Rescuecom, a national chain of IT support service centers, has released the results of its third annual computer reliability report, putting Apple in the top spot for the second year in a row.

The report relies on Rescuecom's "Reliability Score," which compares a computer maker's market share to the percentage of support calls received at Rescuecom's call center. Due to Apple's markedly increased market share over last year and a reduction is support calls, the company sits in the number one slot, with over 200 points separating it from number two Panasonic.

The top five companies and their scores are:

  • Apple (700)
  • Panasonic (489)
  • Lenovo (393)
  • Toshiba (299)
  • HP (184)

As we noted last year, Rescuecom's methodology isn't necessarily the best to determine reliability. For instance, how many people are just going to the nearest Apple Store for service? Most other PC makers don't have a network of retail stores to provide such service.

However, Rescuecom CEO David Milman notes, "RESCUECOM has no allegiance to any hardware manufacturer, so we can provide an objective and unbiased rating of computer hardware reliability based on real-world experience." Considering the results are comparable to this year's Consumer Reports rankings, which also put Apple in the top spot, it can serve as yet another metric to consider when thinking long-term about support.

Google Reviews

Paul DeMartino
Paul DeMartino
in the last week
My Problem was handled professionally and competently by Roy and David. A pleasant experience. I hig
...My Problem was handled professionally and competently by Roy and David. A pleasant experience. I highly recommend them to others with technology challenges. less
Bre Iversen
Bre Iversen
3 weeks ago
David was quick to reach out to Roy who stayed and helped me with my issue and double checked that m
...David was quick to reach out to Roy who stayed and helped me with my issue and double checked that my gaming pc was setup for the best performance! less
susan poesl
susan poesl
a month ago
Rescuecom has been providing me great service for the past 14 years and I highly recommend them to o
...Rescuecom has been providing me great service for the past 14 years and I highly recommend them to others seeking computer support and services. less
Juliet Mcgriff
Juliet Mcgriff
a month ago
It is great that Rescuecom is on top of things keeping my computer up to date and maintenance throug
...It is great that Rescuecom is on top of things keeping my computer up to date and maintenance through out the year while using the services they provide. I would highly recommend to others. less
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